Miss Piggy: The Other Muppets Are Holding Me Back

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Before Madonna, before Beyonce and before Lady Gaga, there was the original uber-diva: Miss Piggy. The porcine princess of pop culture, prêt-a-porter and powerful karate chops is center stage once again in “The Muppets" (opening tomorrow), and in an exclusive chat with PopcornBiz she reveals why she never went out of fashion.
Everyone is thrilled to have you and your costars in this film back.

Yes, and why wouldn't they be thrilled? That's what I say.

Were you the one saying that people missed you, that you needed to be back in the spotlight?

Yes. Well, moi has always been in the spotlight. In fact, I require it of Kermit to follow me around with a spotlight.

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Is that in all of your contracts?

It's just a personal thing between moi and Kermit.

Your chemistry with Kermit onscreen is as strong as ever. How is it off screen?

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Well, I think it's quite evident that our love is eternal. It's going very well right now. We're not seeing each other quite as much as I'd like. We're both very busy promoting the movie. In fact, I'm not even sure if I'm going to see him for Thanksgiving.

Is he being difficult about something?

No, no. It's just that he has certain obligations on Thanksgiving. He's always got to be in New York. They fill him up with helium and send him down the avenue. So he has that to do and I'm going to be off somewhere else promoting the movie.

What do you think is the essential commitment phobia that's keeping Kermit from fully embracing this relationship?

I don't know, and that's why I'm sending him to therapy. Right now we're very on. We're very on. The passion is at an all time high, but I do want him to figure it out. I don't want an off, again.

What's left for you to do with your career once the audience welcomes you right back into the spotlight?

What IS left? I've done it all, haven't I? Maybe climb Mt. Everest and then hang-glide down. No one has ever done that before.

Many pop culture icons today borrowed from your style, I believe. Do you agree?

Stole, more like it.

Do you want to names?

I don't want to name names like Lady Gaga or Sharon Osbourne or any of those people, but I will say this: moi is a trendsetter and I pretty much did everything that you see today out there five years ago, at least.

Are there bigger envelopes to push and can you take it bigger than what these people are doing? Will Miss Piggy keep setting the trends?

Absolutely, yes. A trendsetter stays far ahead. So, even if I took a break there would still be things that I've done that are in the pipeline to becoming in vogue.

Do you feel that it's your stardom that's carried the whole group of Muppets over the years?

Thank you. Thank you for recognizing that. It's true. It's a great responsibility. I don't really like all the other Muppets. In fact, I don't like any of them except for my Kermit. They are his friends, though, and I respect that. They kind of rely on him, and since he relies on me I'm pretty much responsible for all of them. They're all latched onto my coattails.
Do you think your career would've been different if weren't for them holding you back at times?

Yes, well, I think that I'd maybe be doing a lot more movies if it were just moi and Kermie. I would like to do some romantic comedies with Kermie. I think that would be a lot of fun, but sadly wherever I go, they all go, too. All the other Muppets.

Can you tell me about meeting Jason Segel and seeing his love for your troupe of performers and what he brought to the game?

He's a very big fan of moi's – kind of a crazy fan, if you know what I mean. Kind of stalker-ish actually. We had to have a little talk about that. He keeps on trying to start a rumor that moi is infatuated with him, but it's really the other way around.

Have you had a lot of famous people try to make their move when Kermit wasn't looking?

It happens all the time.

Again, feel free to drop some names...

Oh, no. I'd never want to put George Clooney in that position.

Has Kermit been oblivious to it all, or have you seen the green eyed monster in your little green parmour?

I don't mind him getting jealous. A little jealousy is good for a relationship. It keeps you on your toes. Or your webbed feet. Whatever.

"The Muppets" opens everywhere November 23rd

Published at 2:49 PM EST on Nov 22, 2011 | Updated at 2:39 PM EDT on May 30, 2012